LES Might Go Back in Time

The New York Sun is reporting today about proposals to establish a historic district in the Lower East Side.

Developers will not be into the idea. And neither is NYU professor Mitchell Moss.

“This area is gradually blossoming with young people, new eateries, and the like, and this will turn it into a tourist trap rather than a genuine, authentic community,” Mr. Moss said. “It’s a historically inaccurate proposal. It’s an effort to return to the 19th century rather than maintaining what’s currently there.”

While the Tenement Museum is pushing for tougher regulations, a landmark designation will have to be approved by both the Department of Planning and City Council.